CHINESE SUPERSTITIONS - University of Oregon

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V. FIFTH COURT.
President: Yen-lo-wang |g] H§ 3E-
The President of this Court, Yen-lo-wang (§) H ^E (0. was
formerly at the head of the first hell, but being too lenient in allowing
men to return forthwith to life, he was degraded four degrees, and
transferred to the Fifth Court ^2). This Yen-lo-wang |g) $| 3E is
the same personage as Yama, the Yedic god of the dead (3).
Buddhism borrowed the idea and function from Brahmanism. The
legend
of how he came to be the ruler of Hades is as follows : in
times gone by, he was a human monarch, and ruled over the
kingdom of Vaisali, in Northern India (4). Once when engaged in
war with the king of a neighbouring State, he was in danger of
being defeated, and swore that if the Powers of the Underworld
gave him the victory, he and his officers would agree
in hell. Thereupon, heavenly warriors were seen fighting
to be reborn
on his
side, and the battle was soon won. He was accordingly reborn as
Yama, the principal King of Hades, while his 18 officers and his
whole army of 80,000 men became his assistant rulers, jailers and
executioners. His sister Yami controls all the female culprits of
Hades, as he exclusively deals with the male sex.
Yama, although supreme judge of Hades, does not enjoy a life
of unmixed happiness. Three times every twenty-four hours, a
band of demons seize him, and pour down his throat a stream of
(1) His birthday is celebrated on the 8'h day of the 1st month. Chinese
Superstitions. Vol. V. p. 566. -- See picture representing him. His dark
features indicate his Indian origin. Chinese Superstitions. Vol. VII. Illus-
tration n° 47.
(2) China Review. Vol. I.
p. 255. note 3;~p. 262. note 1.
p. 303. — Chinese Superstitions. Vol. VII.
(3) Getty. The Gods of Northern Buddhism, p. 135. — Edkins. Chinese
Buddhism, p. 219. — Chinese Superstitions. Vol. V. p. 557. note 1; p. 596.
note 2; Vol. VII. p 250. note 4; p. 255. note 3; p.
262. note 1.
(4) Getty. The Gods of Northern Buddhism, p. 135. — Eitel. Sanscrit-
Chinese Dictionary, p. 173. - Chinese Superstitions. Vol. VII. p. 250.